BREAKING NEWS

Bahrain F1 Grand Prix puts ticket sales on hold

Bahrain Grand Prix organizers have suspended ticket sales for this month's Formula One race while they assess how many spectators will be allowed to attend in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

A spokesman for the Bahrain International Circuit said that, depending on the outcome, refunds could be offered or more tickets put on sale.

"The best way to describe it is we paused ticket sales," he said. "So you now at the moment cannot buy a ticket for the race."

A circuit statement said organizers needed to "ensure appropriate social distancing guidelines."

The spokesman said this meant looking at the capacity and adjusting it accordingly.

"Depending on the final number we get to on capacity...we can either issue new tickets for sale, if that capacity increases, or we would need to refund certain ticket holders," he added.

He would not comment on the possibility that the March 22 race at Sakhir, the second round of the season after next week's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, could be held without spectators.